


Paradise Found

by ghostofshe



Series: River [1]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-20 06:28:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5994895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostofshe/pseuds/ghostofshe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You came back!"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Paradise Found

**Author's Note:**

> A quick shortfic I made because Tulip is precious and deserves all the love.

“ _You came back!”_

It’s the first time anyone’s ever been glad to see her since she left the vault, or, the first time anyone’s been glad to see her without her having something they needed or wanted. Someone who was just happy to see her.

River doesn’t mean to break down crying right there, in the middle of the shop. But that’s exactly what happens.

After, Tulip gives her an almost-clean shred of fabric to wipe her tears with. “Trust me, it’s not the first time my face made someone weep.”

\- -

The next few times she stops by, Tulip teases her gently. “Please, don’t cry me a river.”

A terrible joke, yet she laughs harder than she can ever remember laughing before. She ends up having to sit down to catch her breath, Tulip seats herself beside her, wrapping her arm over River’s shoulders. A simple gesture of comfort, yet it feels like music.

“Jeeze, I shouldn’t have wasted one of my good ones. Next time I’ll start you off small, maybe with a knock knock joke.”

\- -

River runs out of junk to bring in for trade, runs out of other reasons to keep going back, so she just fills her satchel with food and nuka-cola. On her way to the ruins, blooming brightly beside a filthy puddle, she finds a tiny green flower. She plucks it by its dainty, luminous stem, and carefully tucks it into her breast pocket, just in case.

She turns shy after Tulip greets her, eyes glowing like moonlight reflected on water. There’s such a feeling of peace, of safety. It steals her words away. She doesn’t want to shatter the moment just yet.

Her voice only returns when Tulip raises an eyebrow, humored by her stunned silence. “Do you like picnics?” River asks, nervously brushing at the layer of dirt on her clothes.

“Guess that depends on if you know any good places.”

She doesn’t. Suddenly, none of the places she had in mind seem good enough, at least not any of the ones that are close enough by. Her ears burn with embarrassment as Tulip takes her hand and leads her to Underworld’s lobby. They eat punga fruit and fancy lads snack cakes under the gaze of the giant skull looming above the door. Nuka-cola bottles clink together in a silent toast to the moment.

The tiny green flower is her parting gift, woven into one of the remaining strands of Tulip’s hair. Their goodbye kiss ends with them curled in each other’s arms, floating away together in their dreams, aware of nothing but softness and easy breath.

\- -

“I’m glad you stayed,” says Tulip, her smile is warmer and safer than any place River ever called home.

She places a soft kiss on Tulip’s lower lip, “I’m always gonna stay.” It’s the only thing she wants now. No more breaking her back for random strangers, no more Enclave, no more dead father. Just the two of them wrapped in their own bliss, vibrant and complete, even with the world decaying constantly around them. A resilient flower, and the river that runs beside it. They are the shores of a better world than this.

Tulip strokes her hair gently, “Don’t say that. You’ve got greater things coming to you, trust me.”


End file.
